PEACE (A Catherine Peace Novel)

Chapter 12

The sun was setting after another long day at the police station. My father had asked for a search in the woods, but the police had resisted, saying it was too soon. Many people refused to speak about the incident, and those who did trembled in fear at the mention of it. My mom, Helena, had officially been missing for a week, and the hopes of her returning were starting to dwindle. My dad and I were sitting in the garden. My heart leapt every time the phone made a sound. I couldn't even begin to imagine how my mom was feeling right now.
"Do you need anything? Tea?" asked Jade, for the fourth time.

My dad shook his head and continued to watch the house phone. His hands trembled as he hummed their wedding song. 

I guessed it gave him the hope he needed to move. He was no longer going to the office and had assigned one of the partners to handle his matters.Jade sat beside me. "I don't know how to help him.""Stop trying," I sighed.

Jade placed her head on my shoulder and sat silently. The air blew against my cheeks, turning my skin icy. "Have you heard from Liam?"I nodded. "He said he'd speak to his manager and visit when he gets the all-clear."Jade jumped up, and I turned to see her mom standing there. Her dirty blonde hair made her blue eyes even more piercing. Jade hugged her mom, and her mom's eyes met mine as I ran over to join them. I crumbled in their arms. My mom had been missing for a week. A week. And all the police had to show for it were excuses about inadequate resources. Jade's mom's eyes seemed lost in thought, fixed on my dad. She walked over and pulled him into an embrace. 

The pain it brought me was indescribable.I ran into the house, my breath pulling down into a deep, dark hole. My mom was missing. Two weeks ago, I was at Jacob's wedding with Liam, finally healed from the pain, and now my mom was gone.Jade followed me into the house, her presence pulling me from the pit I had fallen into. "We can go for a walk," she nudged."I can't be out right now with all the news outlets outside our home. Can we just lie in our room and watch something?"

She started towards the kitchen. "I'll get the popcorn ready."

"I'll select a movie."She laughed.

 "We are not watching that movie again."

"Which one?"

"You know exactly which one."

"Fine," I pretended to be offended.

I decided on one of those cheerleader/dance movies because Jade loved them so much. She learned the choreography and routines within a snap. She danced along happily, and after her non-stop pleading, I caved and joined her. The night went by quickly. I danced until my legs were sore and decided to sleep. I lay on my bed, watching the stars twinkle as Jade's snores filled the room. My back ached, and I felt the urge to bite my nails for the first time since my mom forced me to stop.I woke up drenched in sweat several times during the night. Unable to stop the nightmares, I decided to spend the rest of the night online. I grabbed my phone from the counter and went downstairs to make a cup of hot chocolate. The phone's light shone brighter than the sun on a hot day. It was only 2 a.m. My mind instantly took me to the last time I was with Liam. I missed him more than I realised.

 He had become an integral part of my daily routine. I would wake up to a message from him every morning, and now he rarely messaged or replied. I knew he was busy with the last leg of their tour before Christmas, but a simple hello wouldn't kill him.He was probably finding a new, beautiful girl, I thought. He was too rich, famous, and beloved to waste time with a simpleton like me. Without warning, a tear fell from my eyes onto the kitchen counter. I was tired of pretending to be okay for my father. Jade's mother had been spending most of her time with him, and I never had a chance to speak to either of them.I opened my feed and went straight to Liam's page. This was the first time I had stalked him since we met in the ice-cream shop eight months ago. He had posted a new picture three hours ago. I evaluated the picture as if my life depended on it. He was standing with Mason, Jackson, and the rest of the band on stage. Thousands of lights were held up by fans, looking like the night sky. The picture was captioned, "wouldn't want to be anywhere else."